JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, ending more than 40 years of race-conscious admissions processes in colleges throughout the country.

Writing for the majority in the 6-3 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts said the admissions process at the University of North Carolina and Harvard “unavoidably employ race in a negative manner.”

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the dissenting opinion saying, “the devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated.”

One legal expert believes this ruling will have little to no impact among Mississippi’s colleges.

“I don’t think we’re going to see a big impact in Mississippi. We don’t have the kind of programs, to the best of my knowledge, admissions policies that we saw in North Carolina and Harvard. My guess is that it’ll be tweaked, not overhauled,” said Matt Steffey, a professor at the Mississippi College School of Law.

According to the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), students can be admitted to a Mississippi university based on their grade point averages and ACT scores.

“We will review the Supreme Court’s ruling and our general undergraduate, graduate, and professional school admission policies to determine if any changes are needed to ensure compliance with federal law,” the IHL said in statement.

Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) celebrated the ruling and said, “We will enthusiastically work to ensure that our universities across the state comply with both the letter and spirit of this decision. Our academic institutions will be stronger and more fair because of it.”

With many colleges still looking for ways to diversify their student body, we may see states implement something similar to a Texas state law.

“The top 10% of any public high school were admitted into the Texas university system. That it turns out, benefits many applicants of color who may struggle on the admissions stats that have excellent academic record,” said Steffey.